Last evening my youngest dd and I went to Matins for Holy Thursday. When looking at the service booklet labeled "Matins for Holy Thursday", I stop short... "Hey Wait!", I thought to myself, "Is this really Thursday? I forgot to - -- oh yeah, its Wednesday. Wednesday." I'm already confused. My ears caught up the call to "Let us complete our morning prayers to the Lord...." You definitely take notice of those words. I'm beginning to feel like the unprepared Virgin in the parable. Rather unprepared and too late to go back and fix it now.
More Psalms were chanted: Psalm 3, 63 and of course 50 along with others I don't recall. We also heard Luke 22:1-39. Last night's hymns were centered most especially on the betrayal by Judas. He is not just a guy who mis-interprets Jesus' mission or tries to push Jesus to take His earthly kingdom. Judas is "filled with avarice", dickering his price with the Pharisees. He knowingly betrays his friend to "gain the purse". And we sing of the ironies of Christ's passion:
"The Judge of the living and the dead, they prepare for judgment.
The Healer of suffering, they prepare for sufferings"
Afterwards my dd went up to receive Holy Unction since she wasn't able to come with me in the morning.
This morning's Vespers and Divine Liturgy continued the theme of Judas' betrayal along with the institution of the Mystical Supper. Again, we sing the 10 verses concerning Judas' betrayal:
"He let the Master wash his feet,
yet he deceitfully kisses Him in betrayal to the lawless men."
Readings from the Four Gospels are read chronologically from the plot to kill Jesus in Matt. 26 to his meeting before the Caiaphas and the Chief Priests ending with "...and they bound Him and led Him away to be delivered to Pilate the governor."
**I wrote this mainly for myself because, as we were preparing to go, the other children (trying to figure out how long the service was and decide if they wanted to go) asked me what would be happening. Since I've only been to one other Holy Thursday service before AND it was a year ago, AND I'm now over 40 there was no way I could recollect a thing.... so this if for next year when the kids ask again :) |
Posted by Anonymous 
Ancient Faith Radio
Apr. 5, 2007 - Untitled Comment
But yeah, you got tricked by the old Holy Week switcheroo! We always notice when we are praying "in the morning" or "until the setting of the sun" when it's the opposite. Nearest we can figure, at some point someone thought it would be a good idea to move the services up because the morning services were the more important ones, but people who worked during the day had a hard time getting there for them. So, there you go.
Tonight's service is 3 to 3 1/2 hours long. Really. But don't miss it. Really. Go and then report back that it was absolutely worth it.